“His name is Kamaleswaran”
Justice Denied to Survivors of the Kumarapuram Massacre Featured image courtesy Shehan Peruma “Shoot me but, please don’t kill my children,” pleaded Kanthappoody Kamaladevi with her arms outstretched over her head, just…
Author: Marisa de Silva
The Silly Idealist
Photography courtesy Dev Policy Blog Everyone called her a “Silly Idealist”. Some said it fondly, some with contempt, some with anger, and others even with disgust. But, she didn’t care. She truly…
Police impeding the movement of Tamils
11.14PM, 5th March 2013: Families of the disappeared in Sri Lanka, traveling to attend a demonstration in front of Colombo UN office, were detained in Vavuniya by the Police. Eleven buses with…
Grievances of Muslims in the North
“It is not only inhumane to be expected to live under such terrible conditions, but these conditions are also a breeding ground for mosquitoes and the spread of other communicable diseases. If…
“Nothing to call our own…” – The plight of the recently returned, resettled and landless IDPs in Sri Lanka’s North
Recently returned to Puthumathalan “As you drive past pile upon pile of corroding vehicles stacked one above the other, past pots, pans, sarees, slippers and plates (that once belonged to the people…
The futility that is Omanthai: Post-war Sri Lanka’s reconciliation shortfalls
Image courtesy JDS (metal sheet) shed, where males and females follow separate queues to have their bags checked by male and female army personnel, respectively. The checking too has now become so…
The rape of a 13 year old and paramilitary presence in Jaffna
March 3, 2012 marked a very dark ebb in our society as it saw the horrific rape and murder of little Jesudasan Lakshini (13), allegedly at the hands of former EPDP cadre,…
Who is “Pulidaran?”: Reflections on International Day of Democracy
Photo courtesy Who is “Pulidaran?” What everyone knows In “celebration” of the International Day of Democracy today, I would like to bring our attention back to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)[3],…
Sinhala and Tamil New Year in Jaffna, Sri Lanka: Ground realities
Sinhala & Tamil New Year when I was growing up was always a much-awaited annual event in our neighbourhood. We’d have card tournaments and badminton tournaments leading up to the “Big Day,”…
Proud to be Sri Lankan?
Citizenship, as I know it, is a means by which citizens of a particular country are recognized as entities of that country. I feel that citizenship gives each of us a sense…
Soldier: Hero, villain or both?
Each time I see a soldier, my mind shifts into ‘mode chaos’. When I was a kid, things were black and white. They were my heroes; the guys who were taking the…
“Oya Sinhalade? Demalade?” – Questioning a question in post-war Sri Lanka
I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve had that question asked from me over the years. Ironically enough, in these days of ‘peace’ I’ve had it asked of me…
Ramblings of an outsider in Jaffna – 1
I’ve moved to Jaffna on work. Everyone I know seems to think I’ve done something great and inspiring, to have moved here to help people. Firstly, I don’t think I’m better than…
An open letter to the Remote Control Diaspora
Dear RCD, I was having a meal at home recently when I heard this piece of news repeated on the radio. “…two men caught while trying to buy missiles and hundreds of…
What must it be like to live behind these Kovil gates?
[Authors note: This is something I wrote a few months ago, that still resonates I believe with our society today.] I was on my way for practice yesterday, when I passed the…